Councillor warns of ‘catastrophic’ risks ahead of Meath rezoning vote
A proposed rezoning motion could have “catastrophic” consequences for local communities, a Meath councillor has said.
The controversy follows scenes at this month’s meeting of Meath County Council, when long-serving councillor Brian Fitzgerald walked out in protest after a notice of motion concerning land rezoning was removed from the agenda.
Before leaving the chamber, Cllr Fitzgerald handed a requisition signed by six councillors to the Cathaoirleach, calling for a special meeting on the issue. That meeting is now due to take place on Monday, today, November 10, where councillors will vote on a motion that could re-zone large tracts of land across the county.
The motion calls on the council to initiate a variation of the Meath County Development Plan 2021–2027 to reinstate lands previously de-zoned or restricted until after 2027.
According to the agenda, councillors are seeking to re-zone all lands that were zoned for residential or related development under the 2013–2019 County Development Plan, including mixed-use areas, within the current 2021–2027 plan. It also proposes to remove restrictions that defer development of such lands until after 2027.
The motion applies only to lands previously de-zoned or restricted under the current plan.
The stated reason for the proposal is that “the lands referred to in this motion were de-zoned solely or primarily to comply with the Core Strategy-based figures contained within the National Planning Framework.”
“The population figures have subsequently been determined to be an underestimate of population at the time, now and in the future,” the motion states, adding that the Minister for Housing has since directed local authorities to vary their development plans to provide additional land for housing and related development.
Speaking ahead of the special meeting, Fine Gael councillor Paddy Meade said the proposal was “dangerously broad” and risked undoing previous planning safeguards.
“This rezoning motion risks catastrophe for communities,” Cllr Meade said.
“It could wipe out valuable community and playground lands, and bring back zoning on flood-prone and legally restricted sites."
“I’ve stood in flooded homes and seen families ruined. When that happens, people blame the Council—but it’s the elected councillors who made those zoning decisions. We cannot repeat those mistakes.”
Cllr Meade said he had written to several of the motion’s signatories, urging them to exclude flood plains, court-removed lands and sites lacking basic infrastructure, but said his concerns had been “ignored”.
He has also requested from council officials maps of all affected lands, a list of land folios and owners, and identification of flood-risk or unserviced sites. In addition, he has sought clarification on how the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT)—a 3pc annual levy on the market value of zoned lands—would apply if de-zoned lands were reinstated.
“This motion has been rushed, poorly drafted and could expose the Council and communities to massive problems down the line,” he said.
“Any councillor voting for it must accept responsibility for the outcomes.”
Despite what he described as “heavy lobbying from landowners”, Cllr Meade said he was confident that most councillors would “put good planning before politics”.
“On Monday, I believe common sense will prevail. Housing must be built safely, sustainably, and in the right places—not on flood plains or at the expense of community spaces,” he said.